Project Overview
Broadcast Australia provides television and radio broadcast transmission services across Australia through one of the world’s most extensive transmission networks covering metropolitan, regional and remote locations. Their Mount Hopeful broadcast site services the Rockhampton area of Queensland.
Broadcast Australia identified asbestos containing materials in the Emergency Power Plant Room ceiling and eave soffit linings to the buildings which were in generally poor condition and required remediation. Additionally, the roof sheeting, roofing accessories and rainwater infrastructure on the Main Transmitter Building, Emergency Power Plant Room and foyer were reaching their end of service life and required replacing.
Furthermore, the existing Sleeping Quarters and Tool Store located on the north east side of the building had been uninhabitable for a period due to an infestation of termites, the weakening of the building structure due to the subsidence of the supporting soil, and the large quantity of deteriorating asbestos containing materials within the building.
The cooling systems supplying the Transmitter Hall had been originally designed for the now obsolete analogue television (PAL) transmission era and no longer suited the current transmission arrangement on site. The plenum (an air-distribution box attached directly to the supply outlet of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment that heats or cools the air to make the building comfortable) was currently positively pressurised due to the over-proportionate amount of the supply-air to this room resulting in unconditioned air spilling into the Transmitter Hall.
McMahon Services were engaged to undertake multidisciplinary works on site that included friable and non-friable asbestos remediation, mould remediation, demolition of the Sleeping Quarters and adjacent carpark, roofing and cladding works, building works and repairs, and mechanical works. Works in the Transmitter Building and Emergency Power Plant Room included asbestos remediation, mould remediation, roof sheeting, gable-end panels, eave soffit linings, roof sarking, guttering and downpipes, and the replacement of timber and fire rated doors.
Mechanical and electrical works included decommissioning and removal of existing under ceiling split air conditioners, installation of a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, installation of variable speed drive systems for existing plenum room supply-air fans, and the replacement of external security lighting.
Workforce peaked at six Class A asbestos technicians, a five-person demolition crew and three-person roofing crew. Plant and equipment included scaffolding, 14t excavator, asbestos bins, four body trucks and site vehicles.
